Methods and apparatus for providing coverage for sender of transmission data

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides systems and methods which afford a technical application for insuring, bonding, and underwriting a transmission of a data set, streaming data, and/or document over the Internet through TCP/IP and all other electronic media such as WAP, VOIP, fiber optic channels, microwave channels, and through standard electrical switches, electrical outlets and power lines. The present invention includes a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions to cause a system perform a method for insuring, bonding, and/or underwriting data transmission. The method includes enabling a first remote client coupled to a communications network to insure, bond, and/or underwrite a transmission of an electronic data set, streaming data, and/or document, with a selected coverage type for a selected coverage amount, from the first remote client to one or more second remote clients. The method includes charging a fee to an appropriate account for the selected coverage type and amount.

CROSS REFERENCED RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional under 35 USC 120 of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/755,639 filed May 30, 2007 (now U.S. Pat. No.7,555,535), which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/753,550 filed May 24, 2007 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,349,954), which is adivisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/348,035 filed Feb. 4,2006 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,246,157), which is a divisional of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/922,322 filed Aug. 19, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No.7,020,692), which is a continuation under 35 USC 111(a) of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/094,591 filed Mar. 7, 2002 (now U.S. Pat. No.6,922,720), which is a continuation under 35 USC 111(a) ofPCT/US00/18276 filed Jun. 30, 2000 (WO 01/18703), which claimed priorityfrom U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/153,475 filed Sep.10, 1999, all of which applications are incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of informationhandling systems. More particularly, the present invention relates tosystems and methods for insuring, bonding, and underwriting theelectronic transmission of data, streaming data, and/or documents overthe Internet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The Internet has become a tremendous information resource tool. Evenmore, the Internet is a powerful agent that will transform the way allbusiness is transacted and the way nearly every product and service iscreated and sold. With countless websites, portals, and informationtransfer channels proliferating at an extremely rapid rate the abilityto hold the Internet user's attention becomes critical. It is recognizedthat convenience and speed alone are not always enough. Today, theconsumer is demanding an added comfort level to know that use of theInternet for conducting business is secure and reliable. Internet userswho transact business over the Internet are very conscious of thesesecurity issues. In the field of on-line Internet transactions amultitude of manufacturing, retail, service companies includingfinancial and legal service industries, health care organizations,municipal organizations and the like are transmitting their importantdocuments over electronic communication channels. These Internet usersneed to know not only that their transmissions are received, butadditionally that these transmissions have not been mis-received,intercepted, interfered or tampered with by outside sources orun-intended recipients.

For example, a research division of an automotive company may sendconfidential engineering drawings for a new product to another group ofengineers at another remote site. The company wants to be certain thatthe drawings only arrive to the intended audience. For this purpose, thecompany may also desire to insure that those drawings have been securelyreceived for liability reasons. Similarly, health care industries maydesire to make a patient's confidential medical records accessible tothe patient on-line. However, to do so these health care industries, andother service industries, will likely be subject to impending governmentregulations regarding confidentiality and privacy issues which requirethat such information electronically transmitted through the internet issecure. Such organizations will thus need a means to insure themselvesagainst liability in the event security is breached.

One approach to affording confidentiality and privacy includes usingvarious commercially available security measures for the electronictransmission of data, streaming data, and/or documents over theInternet. One form of such includes encryption software. Anothersecurity form includes the use of compression software.

Still another security form includes transmitting data over a fastoptical portal, thus making the data more difficult to intercept.

Presently, not all Internet users who have to send sensitive materialhave access to the data security means described above. Often thesoftware packages and/or sophisticated networks necessary to provide thesame are cost prohibitive, and in some instances require extensivein-house technical support. Even more, none of the above describedmechanisms provide any recourse for failure.

For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons which will beexplained and described below organizations and individuals conductingbusiness transactions and sending data, streaming data, and/or documentsover the Internet need to insure, bond, and underwrite the security ofthe transmission and receipt of the same without incurring significantadditional costs. A technical application involving systems and methodscapable of resolving this need does not currently exist. Creating suchsystems and methods represents a technical problem to be solved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides systems and methods for insuring,bonding, and underwriting the transmission and receipt of data,streaming data, and/or documents, such as in Internet businesstransactions, without incurring significant additional costs.

Other embodiments are similarly included which will be understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure.

One particular embodiment of the present invention includes a system forinsuring, bonding, and underwriting, either independently or in anycombination of the three, the electronic transmission of data, streamingdata, and/or documents over a communications network. The systemincludes a server and a remote client coupled to the server over acommunications network. The system further includes software meansoperative on the server and the remote client. The software means isoperative on the server and the remote client for enabling a user at theremote client to electronically transmit data, streaming data, and/ordocuments, with a selected form of coverage, e.g. insuring, bonding,and/or underwriting, all three being independently optionable oroptionable in any combination thereof, from a first remote client to oneor more second remote clients. The software means is further operablefor charging an appropriate account a fee for the selected form ofcoverage.

One of ordinary skill in the art will further understand upon readingthis disclosure that the system includes a computer-readable mediumhaving computer-executable instructions to cause the system to perform amethod for insuring, bonding, and/or underwriting the electronictransmission of data, streaming data, and/or documents, all three beingindependently optionable or optionable in any combination thereof. Thus,one method embodiment of the present invention includes enabling a firstremote client coupled to a communications network to electronicallytransmit data, streaming data, and/or documents, with a selected form ofcoverage, e.g. insuring, bonding, and/or underwriting, all three beingindependently optionable or optionable in any combination thereof, fromthe first remote client to one or more second remote clients. The methodfurther includes charging an appropriate account a fee for the selectedform of coverage.

These and other embodiments, aspects, advantages, and features of thepresent invention will be set forth in part in the description whichfollows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art byreference to the following description of the invention and referenceddrawings or by practice of the invention. The aspects, advantages, andfeatures of the invention are realized and attained by means of theinstrumentalities, procedures, and combinations particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a hardware and operating environment inconjunction with which embodiments of the invention may be practiced.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of one embodiment of a system according to theteachings of the present invention, which can be incorporated into acommunications network including the Internet.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of another embodiment of a system according tothe teachings of the present invention, which can be incorporated into acommunications network including the Internet.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of still another embodiment of a systemaccording to the teachings of the present invention, which can beincorporated into a communications network including the Internet.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown byway of illustration specific illustrative embodiments in which theinvention may be practiced. These embodiments are described insufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice theinvention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may beutilized and that logical, mechanical and electrical changes may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in alimiting sense.

FIG. 1 is an overview diagram of a hardware and operating environment inconjunction with which embodiments of the invention may be practiced.The description of FIG. 1 is intended to provide a brief, generaldescription of suitable computer hardware and a suitable computingenvironment in conjunction with which 30 the invention may beimplemented. The invention is described in the general context ofcomputer-executable instructions, such as program modules, beingexecuted by a computer, such as a personal computer. Generally, programmodules include routines, programs, objects, components, datastructures, etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particularabstract data types.

Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventionmay be practiced with other computer system configurations, includinghand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based orprogrammable consumer electronics, network PCS, minicomputers, mainframecomputers, and the like. The invention may also be practiced indistributed computer environments where tasks are performed by I 0remote processing devices that are linked through a communicationsnetwork. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may belocated in both local and remote memory storage devices.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a hardware and operating environmentapplicable to any of the servers and/or remote clients shown in FIGS.2-4 is provided. As shown in FIG. 1, the hardware and operatingenvironment includes a general purpose computing device in the form of apersonal computer 20, or a server 20, including a processing unit 21, asystem memory 22, and a system bus 23 that operatively couples varioussystem components including the system memory 22 to the processing unit21. There may be only one or there may be more than one processing unit21, such that the processor of computer 20 comprises a singlecentral-processing unit (CPU), or a plurality of processing units,commonly referred to as a parallel processing environment. The computer20 may be a conventional computer, a distributed computer, or any othertype of computer; the invention is not so limited.

The system bus 23 can be any of several types of bus structuresincluding a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and alocal bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. The system memorycan also be referred to as simply the memory, and includes read onlymemory (ROM) 24 and random access memory (RAM) 25, a basic input/outputsystem (BIOS) 26, containing the basic routines that help to transferinformation between elements within the computer 20, or a server 20,such as during start-up, may be stored in ROM 24. The computer 20, or aserver 20 further includes a hard disk drive 27 for reading from andwriting to a hard disk, not shown, a magnetic disk drive 28 for readingfrom or writing to a removable magnetic disk 29, and an optical diskdrive 30 for reading from or writing to a removable optical disk 31 suchas a CD ROM or other optical media.

The hard disk drive 27, magnetic disk drive 28, and optical disk drive30 couple with a hard disk drive interface 32, a magnetic disk driveinterface 33, and an optical disk drive interface 34, respectively. Thedrives and their associated computer-readable media provide non-volatilestorage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, programmodules and other data for the computer 20, or a server 20. It should beappreciated by those skilled in the art that any type ofcomputer-readable media which can store data that is accessible by acomputer, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital videodisks, Bernoulli cartridges, random access memories (RAMs), read onlymemories (ROMs), redundant arrays of independent disks (e.g. RAIDstorage devices) and the like, can be used in the exemplary operatingenvironment.

A number of program modules can be stored on the hard disk, magneticdisk 29, optical disk 31, ROM 24, or RAM 25, including an operatingsystem 35, one or more application programs 36, other program modules37, and program data 38. A plug in containing a security transmissionengine for the present invention can be resident on any one or number ofthese computer-readable media.

A user may enter commands and information into the personal computer 20,or server 20 through input devices such as a keyboard 40 and pointingdevice 42. Other input devices (not shown) can include a microphone,joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These otherinput devices are often connected to the processing unit 21 through aserial port interface 46 that is coupled to the system bus 23, but canbe connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, game port, ora universal serial bus (USB), a monitor 47 or other type of displaydevice can also be connected to the system bus 23 via an interface, suchas a video adapter 48. The monitor 40 can display a graphical userinterface for the user. In addition to the monitor 40, computerstypically include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such asspeakers and printers.

The computer 20 or server 20 may operate in a networked environmentusing logical connections to one or more remote computers or servers,such as remote computer 49. These logical connections are achieved by acommunication device coupled to or a part of the computer 20, or server20; the invention is not limited to a particular type of communicationsdevice. The remote computer 49 can be another computer, a server, arouter, a network PC, a client, a peer device or other common networknode, and typically includes many or all of the elements described aboverelative to the computer 20, or server 20, although only a memorystorage device 50 and application programs 36 have been illustrated inFIG. 1. The logical connections depicted in FIG. 1 include a local areanetwork (LAN) 51 and a wide area network (WAN) 52. Such networkingenvironments are commonplace in office networks, enterprise-widecomputer networks, intranets and the Internet, which are all types ofnetworks.

When used in a LAN-networking environment, the computer 20, or server20, is connected to the LAN 51 through a network interface or adapter53, which is one type of communications device. When used in aWAN-networking environment, the computer 20, or server 20, typicallyincludes a modem 54, a type of communications device, or any other typeof communications device, e.g. a wireless transceiver, for establishingcommunications over the wide area network 52, such as the Internet; theinvention is not so limited. The modem 54, which may be internal orexternal, is connected to the system bus 23 via the serial portinterface 46. In a networked environment, program modules depictedrelative to the personal computer 20, or portions thereof, can be storedin the remote memory storage device 50 of remote computer, or server 49.It is appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary andother means of, and communications devices for, establishing acommunications link between the computers may be used including hybridfiber-coax connections, T1-T3 lines, DSL's, OC-3and/or OC-12, TCP/IP,microwave, WAP (wireless application protocol), and all other electronicmedia through standard switches, routers, outlets and power lines, asthe same are known and understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.The invention is not so limited.

The hardware and operating environment in conjunction with whichembodiments of the invention may be practiced has been described. Thecomputer 20, or server 20, in conjunction with which embodiments of theinvention can be practiced can be a conventional computer, a distributedcomputer, or any other type of computer; the invention is not solimited. Such a computer 20, or server 20, typically includes one ormore processing units as its processor, and a computer-readable mediumsuch as a memory. The computer 20, or server 20, can also include acommunications device such as a network adapter or a modem, so that itis able to communicatively couple to other computers, servers, ordevices.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of one embodiment of a system 200 according tothe teachings of the present invention, which can be incorporated into acommunications network including the Internet. For ease of illustration,the system 200 is referred to herein as an information handling system200. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand upon reading thisdisclosure that the same is not intended to be limiting. The informationhandling system 200 includes a server 201 including a processor coupledwith a computer based storage device. One of ordinary skill in the artwill understand upon reading this disclosure the various, commerciallyavailable servers which include such processor and memory means. Inexample, the processor coupled to the computer based storage device maycomprise part of a network system server. As shown in FIG. 2, the server201 is accessible over a network connection by a remote client 204, e.g.client A, having a client program or software means operable thereon anda graphical user interface. Remote client 204 further couples to arecipient client 206, or target, e.g. client B, to whom remote client204 intends to electronically transmit a data set, streaming data,and/or document. As one of ordinary skill in the art will understandupon reading this disclosure, remote client 204 is coupled to recipientclient 206 over a network connection and can access remote client 206via means such as a uniform resource locator (URL) address. In oneembodiment, the information handling system 200 may be part of a largernetwork system which is coupled to any number of remote/recipientclients over a local area network (LAN), e.g. an Ethernet network. In analternative embodiment, the remote/recipient clients can be coupled tothe information handling system 200 over a wide area network (WAN). Alsothe remote/recipient clients, 204 and 206 can be coupled to one anotherand the server 201 in the information handling system 200 over thepublic switched telephone network (PSTN), over a WAP network, e.g. rfand satellite microwave, over the Internet or any combination of thesame. In this description, two remote clients are discussed, e.g.sending remote client 204 and recipient client 206. However, one ofordinary skill in the art will understand upon reading this disclosurethat sending client 204 can be coupled to one or more recipient remoteclients for transmitting to many remote clients at once versus strictlya one to one relationship.

The information handling system 200 can further include a mainframecomputer as the same are known and understood by one of ordinary skillin the art. The information handling system 200 includes a computer witha computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions tocause the computer to perform methods according to the teachings of thepresent invention. The computer-readable medium and computer-executableinstructions include software for interpreting and executing thecomputer-executable instructions. One of ordinary skill in the art willunderstand the various programming languages and protocol, includingobject oriented programming and TCP/IP, which can be employed for thesame. The invention is not so limited. The information handling systemmay further include network connections to printers and other peripheraldevices 208 as the same are known and understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of another embodiment of a system 300according to the teachings of the present invention, which can beincorporated into a communications network including the Internet. Theembodiment of system 300 is intended to incorporate a deliveryverification function of the present invention as described in moredetail below. For ease of illustration, the system 300 is again referredto herein as an information handling system 300. One of ordinary skillin the art will understand upon reading this disclosure that the same isnot intended to be limiting. The information handling system 300includes a server 301 including a processor coupled with a computerbased storage device. One of ordinary skill in the art will understandupon reading this disclosure the various, commercially available serverswhich include such processor and memory means. In example, the processorcoupled to the computer based storage device may comprise part of anetwork system server. As shown in FIG. 3, the server 301 is accessibleover a network connection by a remote client 304, e.g. client A, havinga client program or software means operable thereon and a graphical userinterface. Remote client 304 further couples to a recipient client 306,or target, e.g. client B, to whom remote client 304 intends toelectronically transmit a data set, streaming data, and/or document.Alternatively, as one of ordinary skill in the art will understand uponreading this disclosure, the remote client 304 can intend strictly tomake the data set, streaming data, and/or document(s) stored at remoteclient 304 accessible by remote client 306. As one of ordinary skill inthe art will understand upon reading this disclosure, remote client 304and remote client 306 are coupled to one another over a networkconnection and can access one another via address means, such as auniform resource locator (URL) address. In one embodiment, theinformation handling system 300 may be part of a larger network systemwhich is coupled to any number of remote clients over a local areanetwork (LAN), e.g. an Ethernet network. In an alternative embodiment,the remote clients can be coupled to the information handling system 300over a wide area network (WAN). Also the remote/recipient clients, 304and 306 can be coupled to one another and the server 301 in theinformation handling system 300 over the public switched telephonenetwork (PSTN), over a WAP network, e.g. rf and satellite microwave,over the Internet or any combination of the same. Again, in reference toFIG. 3, only two remote clients are discussed, e.g. sending remoteclient 304 and recipient client 306 in order to provide an easierillustration. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will understandupon reading this disclosure that sending client 304 can be coupled toone or more recipient remote clients for transmitting to many remoteclients at once versus strictly a one to one relationship.

The information handling system 300 can further include a mainframecomputer as the same are known and understood by one of ordinary skillin the art. The information handling system 300 includes a computer witha computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions tocause the computer to perform methods according to the teachings of thepresent invention. The computer-readable medium and computer-executableinstructions include software for interpreting and executing thecomputer-executable instructions. One of ordinary skill in the art willunderstand the various programming languages and protocol, includingobject oriented programming and TCP/IP, which can be employed for thesame. The invention is not so limited. The information handling systemmay further include network connections to printers and other peripheraldevices 308 as the same are known and understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the peripheral devices 308 coupled toserver 301 are also accessible by remote client 306 over a networkconnection such that electronic data/documents can be communicated toand/or between remote client 306 and the peripheral devices 308 coupledto server 301. As one of ordinary skill in the art will understand uponreading this disclosure, remote client 306 and the peripheral devices308 coupled to server 301 can access one another via means such as auniform resource locator (URL) address.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of yet another embodiment of a system 400according to the teachings of the present invention, which can beincorporated into a communications network including the Internet. Theembodiment of system 400 is intended to incorporate a duplication andreplication function of the present invention as described in moredetail below. For ease of illustration, the system 400 is again referredto herein as an information handling system 400. One of ordinary skillin the art will understand upon reading this disclosure that the same isnot intended to be limiting. The information handling system 400includes a server 401 including a processor coupled with a computerbased storage device. One of ordinary skill in the art will understandupon reading this disclosure the various, commercially available serverswhich include such processor and memory means. As shown in FIG. 4, theserver 401 is accessible over a network connection by a remote client404, e.g. client A, having a client program and a graphical userinterface. Remote client 404 further couples to another remote client406, or alternatively stated a recipient client 406, or target, e.g.client B, to whom remote client 404 intends to electronically transmit adata set, streaming data, and/or document. Alternatively, as one ofordinary skill in the art will understand upon reading this disclosure,the remote client 404 can intend strictly to make a set of data/documentstored at remote client 404 accessible by remote client 406. As one ofordinary skill in the art will understand upon reading this disclosure,remote client 404 and remote client 406 are coupled to one another overa network connection and can access one another via means such as auniform resource locator (URL) address.

In one embodiment, the information handling system 400 may be part of alarger network system which is coupled to any number of remote clientsover a local area network (LAN), e.g. an Ethernet network. In analternative embodiment, the remote clients, 404 and 406, as well asserver 401, can be coupled to one another in the information handlingsystem 400 over a wide area network (WAN). Also, the remote/recipientclients, 404 and 406 can be coupled to one another and the server 401 inthe information handling system 400 over the public switched telephonenetwork (PSTN), over a WAP network, e.g. rf and satellite microwave,over the Internet or any combination of the same. Again, in reference toFIG. 4, only two remote clients are discussed, e.g. sending remoteclient 404 and recipient client 406 in order to provide an easierillustration. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will understandupon reading this disclosure that sending client 404 can be coupled toone or more recipient remote clients for transmitting to many remoteclients at once versus strictly a one to one relationship. Theinformation handling system 400 with server 401 may further includenetwork connections from the server 401 to printers and other peripheraldevices 408 as the same are known and understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the peripheral devices 408 coupled toserver 401 are accessible by remote client 406 over a network connectionsuch that electronic data/documents can be communicated to and/orbetween remote client 406 and the peripheral devices 408 coupled toserver 401. As one of ordinary skill in the art will understand uponreading this disclosure, remote client 406 and the peripheral devices408 coupled to server 401 can access one another via means such as auniform resource locator (URL) address.

As shown in FIG. 4, the server 401 may comprise part of a network systemserver which is coupled to additional servers, e.g. servers 410 and 412.In one embodiment according to the teachings of the present invention,the server 401 and additional servers, 410 and 412, include softwarewhich provides an appropriate security method for performing the methodsof the present invention. In one embodiment, the appropriate securitymethod can include passwords or key access accounts. In anotherembodiment, the appropriate security method can include data compressionsoftware. In another embodiment, the appropriate security method caninclude encryption software. In still another embodiment, theappropriate security method can include transmission through a networkincluding a fast optical portal. All of the above described can beemployed independently or in combination, the invention is not solimited. Thus, in one embodiment, by way of illustration and not by wayof limitation, the server 401 and additional servers, 410 and 412, caninclude a security transmission engine, such as a compression engine, asthe same are known and understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.Also, the information handling system 400 can further include amainframe computer as the same is known and understood by one ofordinary skill in the art.

In all the embodiments discussed above in connection with FIGS. 2, 3,and 4, the information handling system 400 includes a computer with acomputer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions tocause the computer to perform methods according to the teachings of thepresent invention. The computer-readable medium and computer-executableinstructions include software for interpreting and executing thecomputer-executable instructions. The information handling system 400further includes software means operative on the system 400 to performmethods according to the teachings of the present invention. Thesoftware means includes a novel software program, including interfaceprotocols, for carrying out the methods of the present invention. Thenovel software program according to the teachings of the presentinvention will be executing on system 400. The software means can beresident on the server 401, or alternatively, the software means can beresident on any number of the storage devices, e.g. computer-readablemedium, coupled in system 400.

One of ordinary skill in the art will understand the manner in which asoftware program can be launched from a computer-readable medium in acomputer based system to execute the functions defined in the softwareprogram. One of ordinary skill in the art will further understand thevarious programming languages which may be employed to create a softwareprogram designed to implement and perform the methods of the presentinvention. In one embodiment, the application software is implementedusing an object oriented programming language. In one embodiment, theapplication software makes use of extensible mark-up language (XML),and/or hyper-text mark-up language (HTML) and the like. However, theteachings of the present invention are not limited to a system using theabove examples and no embodiment of the invention is limited to aparticular programming language or environment.

Methods According to the Present Invention

As explained in connection with FIGS. 1-4, the present invention isimplemented using computer based systems which have computer-readablemedium for executing instructions from software means, e.g. programs,for carrying out the method embodiments described below. As one ofordinary skill in the art will understand upon reading this disclosure,the functions provided by such execution of such computer-executableinstructions can be separated into various program modules stored on thecomputer-readable medium. In one embodiment, a program module is definedas a software object executing on the computer based system.

In FIGS. 1-4, a system or network which includes a processor and storagedevice has been presented, e.g. such as contained in one or moreservers. As one of ordinary skill in the art will understand uponreading this disclosure, the storage device includes a computer-readablemedium having computer-executable instructions. The computer-readablemedium is not limited to the storage device, however, and canalternatively be a transportable computer medium in the form of a disk.The computer-readable medium in the storage device, or on a disk, iscomprised of a number of databases having a number of databasestructures. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand uponreading this disclosure the manner in which numerous database structurescan be configured within one or more storage devices and networked tocommunicatively operate with one another and/or a processor.

According to one embodiment of the teachings of the present invention,at least one of the databases includes a database having a datastructure which tracks a number of client accounts. Similarly, at leastone of the databases includes a data structure which maintains a numberof contractual relationships which define the business rules forperforming the methods of the present invention. These business rulescan include defined coverage relationships in which services can beseparated by categories. For example, according to the teachings of thepresent invention, the electronic transmission of data sets, streamingdata, and/or documents can be divided into groups such as: alltransmissions of a specific type (e.g. all medical records, purchaseorders, legal emails, etc.), all transmissions of a specific size, alltransmissions routed through a specific server, all transmissionsbetween a specific sender/receiver pair, all transmissions from aspecified sender, all transmissions to a specified receiver, or anycombination of the above. Thus, in one embodiment, this databaseincludes a client policy management data structure and is used forperforming a client policy management function. The database can furtherbe defined as performing a client relationship management function. Thesystems and methods of the present invention can further accommodatetransmissions which do not fall into a predetermined contractualrelationship. Thus, for transmissions which do not fall into a categorydefined by the contractual relationship, the systems and methods canprovide a select coverage rider. The same can be optionally selectedusing the novel software of the systems and methods of the presentinvention. It is noted that the services afforded by the systems andmethods of the present invention do not require a pre-definedcontractual relationship in one of the database structures and that thesystems and methods can be used on an ad-hoc basis. However, if such apre-defined contractual relationship exists in a database of the novelsystems, the business rules will be transparent to a user performing atransmission from one remote client to another remote client. In thisscenario, the systems and methods, including the novel programconfiguration, will automatically perform the methods of the presentinvention without additional user input.

According to one embodiment of the systems and methods of the presentinvention, at least one database maintains a logging data structure fortracking all transmissions of data sets, streaming data, and/ordocuments. According to the systems and methods of the presentinvention, this database maintains a data structure against which alltransmission can be verified as transmitted and received or notreceived. In this manner, this database of the present inventionfacilitates authenticating the submission of claims covered according tothe insuring, bonding, and underwriting aspects of the presentinvention. In one embodiment, the logging data structure contains onlyinformation, such as a header, relating to the transmission and not thedata set, streaming data, and/or documents themselves. At least onedatabase maintains a data structure for tracking a claim submissionprocess, and keeps records of all claims for maintaining the integrityof the systems and methods of the insuring, bonding, and underwritingaspects of the present invention. As one of ordinary skill in the artwill understand upon reading this disclosure, these databases thus canfacilitate data reporting, including statutory reporting, required forthe systems and methods of the present invention.

In one embodiment another database, according to the systems and methodsof the present invention, includes a marketing, product, and salesmanagement data structure for identifying, analyzing, and trackingpotential and previous product sales under the present invention. Itfurther provides a mechanism to provide point of sale support, managesales campaigns and authority to sell, manage sales incentives andcommissions, analyze sales markets and channels, and analyze salesperformance. Using the novel software of the present invention, thesedatabase tools can be used to track client or customer relatedactivities, analyze client product usage, and analyze profitabilityunder the systems and methods of the present invention. According to theteachings of the present invention, the product is defined herein as theservices offered by the systems and methods of the present invention.Also, at least one database includes a financial data structure fortracking all of the business financial processes associated with theinsuring, bonding, and underwriting aspects of the present invention.This database thus includes a set of back office software applicationsfor supporting financial accounting functions such as: general ledger(G/L), accounts receivable (A/R), and accounts payable (A/P). Automatedinterfaces exist between the same and all other processes according tothe systems and methods of the present invention. The database andsoftware applications can further provide asset and liability managementas well as capital reserves management.

The systems and methods of the present invention can support a number ofinvoicing configurations dependent upon a given client relationship andthe services being used. These invoicing configurations include a perusage charge, e.g., a charge being calculated by various transmissionfactors such as size, dollar, liability amount, etc. They can alsoinclude a flat periodic fee charge, a periodic fee plus additionalcharge when a number of transmissions and their configuration exceed setvalues. They can include a periodic fee plus additional charges forspecific types of usage, periodic fees minus reimbursement for unusedservices. Additionally, the A/R can provide an interface to a salescommission process for the product. And, the A/R will provide theinterfaces needed to update other back office systems according to theteachings of the present invention, e.g., the G/L and A/P.

The following definitions are provided for purposes of explaining themethods of the present invention. As used herein, the insuring ofelectronic transmissions for data, streaming data, and documentsincludes systems and methods for providing an insurance coverage amountpayable as an A/P in the event that such information transmitted fromone remote client to another remote client, using the systems andmethods of the present invention, is not received, e.g., thetransmission fails. This function can be preempted by the systems andmethods of the present invention when a reason for failure is includedas an exclusion based on the contractual relationship as defined by thebusiness rules for the particular transmission. For example, the systemsand methods can operate according to the business rules such that apayable is not allocated from the A/P if and when the failure occurs dueto operator error at the sending remote client or the receiving remoteclient. As one of ordinary skill in the art will understand upon readingthis disclosure, the systems and methods of the present invention canuse the logging data structure for tracking all transmissions of datasets, streaming data, and/or documents to verify whether thetransmission was actually received. Those same events can be recorded inthe logging database structure. Further, the systems and methods of thepresent invention may have optionality built in to perform a number ofresend attempts upon an initial failure. That same optionality can bebuilt into and defined within the business rules data structure of thepresent invention.

Further, the systems and methods of the present invention can providefunctionality for defining a specific insurance coverage amount, bycategory, according to the business rules data structure of the presentinvention. Alternatively, the systems and methods of the presentinvention can provide the optionality for a user at a remote client toselect a desired insurance coverage amount on a per transmission basis.

Additional optionality can be combined with the insuring embodiment ofthe present invention, as the same is described below. In oneembodiment, this can include delivery verification to the sending remoteclient and/or additional security measures discussed below. In oneembodiment, the systems and methods of the present invention can assessan additional charge to a user at the sending remote client for thelogging capability of the logging database structure. One of ordinaryskill in the art will understand that all of this describedfunctionality can be contained within the computer based systemdescribed in connection with FIG. 1.

As used herein, the bonding of electronic transmissions for data,streaming data, and documents includes systems and methods for providinga bonding coverage amount payable as an A/P in the event that suchinformation transmitted from one remote client to another remote client,using the systems and methods of the present invention, is not received,e.g. the transmission fails. Again, this function can be preempted bythe systems and methods of the present invention when a reason forfailure is included as an exclusion based on the contractualrelationship as defined by the business rules for the particulartransmission as described above. As one of ordinary skill in the artwill understand upon reading this disclosure, the systems and methods ofthe present invention use the logging data structure for tracking alltransmissions of data sets, streaming data, and/or documents to verifywhether the transmission was actually received. As before, the systemsand methods of the present invention may have optionality built in toperform a number of resend attempts upon an initial failure. That sameoptionality can be built into and defined within the business rules datastructure of the present invention. Similarly, the systems and methodsof the present invention can provide functionality for defining aspecific bond coverage amount, by category, according to the businessrules data structure of the present invention. Alternatively, thesystems and methods of the present invention can provide the optionalityfor a user at a remote client to select a desired bond coverage amounton a per transmission basis. According to the teachings of the presentinvention, the financial database structure of the present inventiontracks and allocates sufficient funds to back the selected bond coverageamount. Additional optionality can be combined with the bondingembodiment of the present invention, as the same is described below. Inone embodiment, this can include delivery verification to the sendingremote client. and/or additional security measures discussed below. Inone embodiment, the systems and methods of the present invention canassess an additional charge to a user at the sending remote client forthe logging capability of the logging database structure. One ofordinary skill in the art will understand that all of this describedfunctionality can be contained within the computer based systemdescribed in connection with FIG. 1.

As used herein, the underwriting of electronic transmissions for data,streaming data, and documents includes systems and methods for providingan underwriting coverage amount payable as an A/P in the event that suchinformation transmitted from one remote client to another remote client,using the systems and methods of the present invention, is not received,e.g. the transmission fails. Again, this function can be preempted bythe systems and methods of the present invention when a reason forfailure is included as an exclusion based on the contractualrelationship as defined by the business rules for the particulartransmission as described above. As one of ordinary skill in the artwill understand upon reading this disclosure, the systems and methods ofthe present invention use the logging data structure for tracking alltransmissions of data sets, streaming data, and/or documents to verifywhether the transmission was actually received. Further, the systems andmethods of the present invention may have optionality built in toperform a number of resend attempts upon an initial failure. That sameoptionality can be built into and defined within the business rules datastructure of the present invention. Similarly, the systems and methodsof the present invention can provide functionality for defining aspecific underwriting coverage amount, by category, according to thebusiness rules data structure of the present invention. Alternatively,the systems and methods of the present invention can provide theoptionality for a user at a remote client to select a desiredunderwriting coverage amount on a per transmission basis. Additionaloptionality can be combined with the insuring embodiment of the presentinvention, as the same is described below. In one embodiment, this caninclude delivery verification to the sending remote client and/oradditional security measures discussed below. In one embodiment, thesystems and methods of the present invention can assess an additionalcharge to a user at the sending remote client for the logging capabilityof the logging database structure. One of ordinary skill in the art willunderstand that all of this described functionality can be containedwithin the computer based system described in connection with FIG. 1.

The definitions above have referred to an event of transmission failure.However, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand upon readingthis disclosure that the above definitions defining functional methodsof the present invention can operate in a similar fashion for eventswhere the transmission has been mis-received, intercepted, interfered ortampered with by outside sources or un-intended recipients. Thecomputer-executable instructions on the computer-readable medium includeone or more software programs. One of ordinary skill in the art willfurther understand the various programming languages, such as objectoriented programming and the like, which can be used to create the oneor more programs. The invention is not so limited. Neither is thepresent invention limited to a specific set of protocols. One ofordinary skill in the art will understand upon reading this disclosure,the various numbers of protocols which can be employed in the system ornetwork of the present invention to perform the methods described in thepresent invention. The processor can execute the computer-readableinstructions contained in the described computer-readable medium toperform the methods of the present invention. The following includeembodiments of the present invention employing a computer-readablemedium having computer-readable instructions for performing a method forinsuring, bonding, and underwriting the electronic transmission of datasets, streaming data, and documents over the Internet.

These embodiments of the present invention include systems and methodsfor insuring, bonding, and underwriting the transmission of documentsand data, including streaming data, over the Internet through TCP/IP andall other electronic media such as WAP (wireless application protocol),VOIP (voice-over IP), fiber optic channels, microwave channels, andthrough standard electrical switches, electrical outlets, powerlines,etc. These embodiments further include methods for facilitatingelectronic commerce and providing associated individual andorganizational services. The scope of the present invention includesother method embodiments which will be understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art upon reading this disclosure.

In particular, one such additional method embodiment includes novelsoftware including a number of program modules or components located ona server within the system for creating and populating a contractualrelationship database for a particular client. In other words, in oneembodiment, the systems and methods provide for the creation andmanagement of a particular policy and policy management for a particularclient. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand upon readingthis disclosure that the various embodiments include novel softwareincluding a number of program modules or components located on thecomputer based system or network of the present invention, e.g. servers,sending remote clients, and receiving remote clients, for facilitatingthe methods of the present invention.

The system explained in connection with FIGS. 1-4, comprises a serverhaving a processor, a storage device coupled to the processor, andsoftware means operative on the processor, e.g. system collectively. Inother words, the invention includes a program stored on acomputer-readable medium, such as the storage device. The programincludes computer-executable instructions which can be operated on bythe processor. The system more broadly includes the server, connectivelycoupled to remote clients having client programs, and additional serversand systems, with the software means, e.g. software program executing onthe system. The software program will enable the methods describedbelow.

One method embodiment of the present invention is explained in referenceto FIG. 2. This method embodiment employs the software means operatingon the system to enable a user at a remote client to insure, bond,and/or underwrite the transmission of any electronic data, includingstreaming data, or any electronic document over a communication network,e.g., rf, satellite, the Internet or a communication network including acombination thereof. According to the teachings of this embodiment thesoftware means operating on the system insures, bonds and underwritesthe transmission of all data, including streaming data, and allelectronic documents for a fee based on a user's selected coverage typeand for a selected coverage amount from a first remote client to asecond remote client. According to the teachings of the presentinvention, the user is charged a fee for the service of the systems andmethods of the present invention.

According to the teachings of the present invention, a selected coveragecan include using the systems and methods of the present inventionsolely to insure a transmission of a data set, including streaming data,or a document. According to the teachings of the present invention, aselected coverage can include using the systems and methods of thepresent invention solely to bond a transmission of a data set, includingstreaming data, or a document.

According to the teachings of the present invention, a selected coveragecan include using the systems and methods of the present inventionsolely to underwrite a transmission of a data set, including streamingdata, or a document. And, according to the teachings of the presentinvention, a selected coverage can include using the systems and methodsof the present invention to perform any combination of the above listedfunctions in relation to a transmission of a data set, includingstreaming data, or a document. The systems and methods of the presentinvention thus include a novel program which optionally provides afunction or number of functions chosen as the selected coverage, andapplies an appropriate fee for the selected coverage to an appropriateaccount, an identified account, a specified account, a designatedaccount, etc.

For example, in one embodiment, the software means operating on thesystem can use an insurance application script, unique tracking ID, orinsured transmission mechanism designed to automatically attach alicense for registration and insurance purposes to a user's electronicdata set, including streaming data, or a document sent from a remoteclient to another remote client. According to the teachings of thepresent invention. The insured transmission mechanism, which is usedequally for the insuring, bonding, and underwriting embodiments,identifies a transmission as insured, bonded, and/or underwritten, andcontains tracking and security components as defined by the businessrules in the business rules database structure for a particulartransmission. In effect, the insurance application script is used totrack the transmission of the data set, streaming data, or document toan intended destination at a remote client as well as to apply anappropriate fee for the selected coverage to an appropriate account. Theinsured transmission mechanism is integral with all of the programmodules and software/protocols of the system for the present invention.

According to the teachings of this method embodiment, a user at a remoteclient having a client program addresses the system server, as describedin FIG. 2, over a communication network. For example, the user at theremote client having a client program can address the system server,e.g. using a URL address or generally accessing a website for the serverover the Internet. Using the system and methods of the presentinvention, the user at a remote client having a client program can thenelectronically transmit a signal over the communication networkrepresenting a request that an identified data set, streaming data set,or an identified document be transmitted to a designated destination,e.g. another remote client. In one embodiment, transmitting a signalrepresenting a request accesses an online insurance, bonding, orunderwriting document which includes an electronic account form.According to the teachings of the present invention, the method includeshaving the user complete an electronic account form using the softwaremeans and/or client program. In this embodiment, the user includes datawhich represent a location of the remote client and an address to whichan identified data set, streaming data set, or an identified document isto be transmitted. Using the systems and methods of the presentinvention, a selected coverage is chosen, e.g. insurance, bonding,underwriting, or any combination of the same as described above. Forexample, in one embodiment, an identified data set, streaming data set,or an identified document is insured and bonded for transmission overthe Internet. Also, in this embodiment, data is entered into a set offields on the electronic account form such that the user at the remoteclient uses the software means and the client program to select anamount of coverage per coverage type, e.g. insuring, bonding, and/orunderwriting. According to the teachings of the present invention, thesystems and methods include optionality for selecting different amountsof coverage within each selected coverage type in order to coverdifferent subsets of the data set(s), streaming data, and/or documentsbeing transmitted. Again, according to the systems and methods of thepresent invention, the business rules can define the same.

According to the teachings of this method embodiment, transmission ofthe document is a permission activated event such that once the user atthe remote client submits data representing the electronic data set,streaming data, or document to be transmitted to another remote client,the transmission is authorized and the software means provides theinsuring, bonding, and/or underwriting, depending on the selectedcoverage, and assesses a fee to an appropriate account of the user atthe remote client, or a designated account, e.g. sending a client fee.

As one of ordinary skill in the art will understand upon reading thisdisclosure, the above described method of accessing an electronic formis not required where the contractual relationship database alreadycontains defined business rules for transmissions from that particularclient. In this scenario, the electronic form is transparent to a userat the remote client. However, a user at the remote client can stillaccess the same, using the novel software of the present invention forpurposes of augmenting or amending a set of specifics relating to aparticular transmission, e.g. obtaining a select coverage rider.

Another method embodiment of the present invention is explained inreference to FIG. 3. This method embodiment employs the software meansoperating on the system to enable a user at a remote client to insureand certify the transmission of any data set, streaming data, orelectronic document over a communication network, e.g. a communicationnetwork including rf, satellite, the Internet or any combinationthereof. According to this embodiment, the term “certify” is intended toinclude a delivery verification. According to the teachings of thisembodiment the software means operating on the system insures, bonds,underwrites and verifies delivery for the transmission of all data sets,streaming data, or electronic documents for a fee based on a user'sselected/desired coverage. Again, the user is charged a fee upon thetransmission of the insured, bonded and/or underwritten data sets,streaming data, or electronic documents. For example, the software meansoperating on the system can use an insurance application script designedto automatically attach a license for registration and insurancepurposes to a user's electronic data set, streaming data, or documentsent from a remote client as the same has been described in more detailabove. The insurance application script includes the same as describedabove and similarly referred to as the insured transmission mechanism.However, in this embodiment in addition to the functionality describedabove, the software means operating on the system electronicallytransmits a delivery verification as data representing a successfultransmission of the data set, streaming data, or document to an intendedrecipient at another remote client. In one embodiment, the deliveryverification can be termed as a return receipt; however, the presentinvention is not so limited. In other words, the delivery verificationprovided by the systems and methods of the present invention can consistof more than a return receipt notice.

In this embodiment as shown in FIG. 3, the software means electronicallycommunicates an automatic-reply over a communications network back tothe system server for a delivery verification. One of ordinary skill inthe art will understand upon reading this disclosure that the samedelivery verification can be stored in the logging database structuredescribed above using the systems and methods of the present invention.In one embodiment, by way of example and not by way of limitation, thedelivery verification can be termed a certified or certificationverification. An account of the sending user/remote client, or otherappropriate account, charged a fee upon the transmission of the insured,bonded and/or underwritten data sets, streaming data, or electronicdocuments. In this embodiment, the sending user/remote client iselectronically provided over the communication network with a deliveryverification. Again, in one embodiment by way of example and not by wayof limitation the delivery verification may include a return receipt.

According to the teachings of this method embodiment, a user at a remoteclient having a client program addresses the system server, as describedin FIG. 3, over a communication network. For example, the user at theremote client having a client program can address the system server,e.g. using a URL address or generally accessing the website for theserver over the Internet. The user at a remote client having a clientprogram then electronically transmits data over the communicationnetwork representing a request that a user data set, streaming data,and/or document be insured, bonded, and/or underwritten for transmissionover the Internet. In one embodiment, the method includes having theuser complete an on-line electronic form using the software means and/orclient program. In one embodiment, the completing the on-line electronicform includes creating an on-line insurance policy. According to theteachings of the present invention, the on-line electronic form includesa number of data fields for entering information. In one embodiment, theon-line electronic form includes an electronic account form whichfurther includes a number of data fields for entering information for anappropriate account. In one embodiment, the on-line electronic formincludes a number of linked web pages which have a number of data fieldsfor entering information. In one embodiment, one or more of the numberof linked web pages can include an example or a template, or optionalityfor creating an on-line insurance policy. In one embodiment, one or moreof the number of linked web pages can include an electronic account formhaving a number of data fields for entering information for anappropriate account. In one embodiment, a user at a remote client caninclude data which represent a location, e.g. URL address, of the remoteclient and an address, e.g. another URL address, for another remoteclient to which a data set, streaming data, and/or document is to betransmitted. In one embodiment, a user at the remote client uses thesoftware means and client program to select an amount of coverage percoverage type, e.g. insuring, bonding, and/or underwriting, as describedherein. According to the teachings of the present invention, the systemsand methods include optionality for selecting different amounts ofcoverage within each selected coverage type in order to cover differentsubsets of the data set(s), streaming data, and/or documents beingtransmitted. For example, a user can define that all medical recordstransmitted from the remote client be insured for a coverage amount of$300 per transmission, and that all X-rays transmitted from the remoteclient be insured for a coverage amount of $500 per transmission. Again,according to the systems and methods of the present invention, thebusiness rules can define the same.

According to the teachings of this method embodiment, the user at thesending remote client can electronically transmit data representing arequest for a delivery verification. In one example, by way ofillustration and not by way of limitation the delivery verification isin the form of an electronic return receipt. However, according to theteachings of the present invention, the delivery verification caninclude electronic data and information beyond a return receiptnotification. That is, according to the teachings and methods of thepresent invention, the systems and methods can provide a wide variety ofdata and information back to the sending remote client based on a numberof delivery verification request formats optioned by the sending remoteclient using the program of the present invention. In one embodiment,the user at the remote client having a client program can electronicallytransmit data representing a delivery verification request format byactivating a data field on the electronic form. Again, according to theteachings of the present invention, the delivery verification requestformat can include a request for a detailed set of delivery verificationinformation, or alternatively, can include a request for an electronicreturn receipt. The invention is not so limited. When the deliveryverification request step is performed, or selected by the user usingthe systems and methods of the present invention, the software means, orprogram activates an automatic tracking software application for thedata set, streaming data, and/or document to be transmitted.

According to the teachings of this method embodiment, transmission ofthe document is a permission activated event such that once the user atthe remote client submits data representing the electronic data set,streaming data, and/or document to be transmitted to another remoteclient, the transmission is authorized and the software means, orprogram provides the selected coverage and selected coverage amount andassesses or charges a fee to an appropriate account upon transmission ofthe data set, streaming data, and/or document, as the same has beendescribed above. In this embodiment, the software means will generate adelivery verification and electronically provide the deliveryverification to the sending user/remote client over the communicationnetwork.

As one of ordinary skill in the art will understand upon reading thisdisclosure, the above described method of accessing an electronic formis not required where the contractual relationship database alreadycontains defined business rules for transmissions from that particularclient. In this scenario, the electronic form is transparent to a userat the remote client. However, a user at the remote client can stillaccess the same, using the novel software of the present invention forpurposes of augmenting or amending a set of specifics relating to aparticular transmission, e.g. obtaining a select coverage rider.

Another method embodiment of the present invention is explained inreference to FIG. 4. This method embodiment employs the software means,or program, operating on the system to enable a user at a remote clientto insure, bond, and underwrite the transmission of any electronic dataset, streaming data, and/or document over a communication network, e.g.a communication network including rf, satellite, and Internetconnections or any combination of the same. However, this embodimentincorporates additional security optionality as discussed and describedabove. In other words, FIG. 4 illustrates a duplication and replicationembodiment for a transmission using the systems and methods of thepresent invention. According to the teachings of this embodiment, thesoftware means operating on the system insures, bonds, and/orunderwrites the transmission of all electronic data sets, streamingdata, and/or documents for a fee based on a user's selected/desiredcoverage. As described in detail above, the user is charged a fee fortransmission of the insured, bonded and underwritten data set, streamingdata, and/or document based on the selected coverage type and a selectedan amount. As mentioned above, according to the teachings of the presentinvention, the systems and methods include optionality for selectingdifferent amounts of coverage within each selected coverage type inorder to cover different subsets of the data set(s), streaming data,and/or documents being transmitted. Thus, according to the teachings ofthe present invention, the systems and methods are operable for sendingdata sets, streaming data, and/or documents which are insured over arange of insurance amounts. That is, the transmission of the data set,streaming data, and/or document can includes a first portion of the dataset, streaming data, and/or document insured at a first insurance amountand another portion insured at a second insurance amount and so forth.For example, a user can define that all medical records transmitted fromthe remote client be insured for a coverage amount of $300 pertransmission, and that all X-rays transmitted from the remote client beinsured for a coverage amount of $500 per transmission. The invention isnot so limited. In these instances, the software means operating on thesystem uses an appropriate insurance application script, as describedabove, designed to automatically attach a license for registration andinsurance purposes to a user's electronic data set, streaming data,and/or document sent from a remote client.

The appropriate insurance application script, or insured transmissionscript accounts for the various insurance amounts. Again, according tothe systems and methods of the present invention, the business rules candefine the same.

Further, as explained in detail above in other embodiments, the softwaremeans operating on the system also can provide delivery verification. Inone embodiment, the software means operating on the system provides aninsured delivery verification. In one embodiment, the software meansoperating on the system provides a bonded delivery verification. Inanother embodiment, the software means operating on the system providesan underwritten delivery verification. That is the software meansoperating on the novel system can electronically transmit datarepresenting the successful transmission of the data set, streamingdata, and/or document to an intended recipient at another remote clientas a delivery verification. As shown in FIG. 4, the software means canelectronically communicate an automatic-reply over a communicationsnetwork back to the system server for verification. In one embodiment,by way of example and not by way of limitation, the system serverperforms an initial delivery verification. In one embodiment, accordingto the teachings of the present invention, this delivery verificationperformed by the system server can be termed a certificationverification. An account of the sending user/remote client is charged afee upon transmission of the insured, bonded, and/or underwritten dataset, streaming data, and/or document. And, as described above, thesending remote client is electronically provided with a deliveryverification over the communication network. According to the teachingsof this method embodiment, a user at a remote client having a clientprogram addresses the system server, as described in FIG. 4, over acommunication network. For example, the user at the remote client havinga client program can address the system server, e.g. using a URL addressor generally accessing a website for the server over the Internet. Theuser at a remote client having a client program can then electronicallytransmit data over the communication network representing a request thata user document be insured and bonded for transmission over theInternet. In one embodiment, the method includes having the usercomplete an electronic form using the software means and/or clientprogram. The electronic form includes the electronic form as discussedand described in detail above, in this embodiment, the user includesdata which represent a location of the sending remote client and anaddress of a recipient remote client to which the document is to betransmitted. In one embodiment, the user at the remote client uses thesoftware means and client program to select an amount, or first amount,of insurance coverage for the document transmittal. As explained indetail above, a range of, and multiple, insurance amounts can beselected using the systems and methods of the present invention.

Again, as explained above, the method of accessing an electronic formand entering data specific to locations of the sending and recipientclient is not required where the contractual relationship databasealready contains defined business rules for transmissions from thatparticular client. In this scenario, the electronic form is transparentto a user at the remote client. However, a user at the remote client canstill access the same, using the novel software of the present inventionfor purposes of augmenting or amending a set of specifics relating to aparticular transmission, e.g. obtaining a select coverage rider.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the systems and methods of the presentinvention employ additional functionality for duplication andreplication of the transmission of the data set, streaming data, and/ordocument to an intended recipient at another remote client. In oneembodiment using the systems and methods of the present invention, theuser at the remote client can even use the software means to select howlong the data set, streaming data, and/or document may reside at therecipient remote client's location. Additionally, in one embodimentusing the systems and methods of the present invention, the user at theremote client can use the software means to select a set of additionalsecurity measures, e.g. compression, encryption, fast optical portals,etc., as described in detail above. That is in one embodiment, by way ofexample and not by way of limitation, the data set, streaming data,and/or document is secured using the software means and a securitytransmission engine, such as a compression engine. The embodiment shownin FIG. 4 employs the duplication and replication methodology availablein the systems and methods of the present invention, e.g. capabilitiescontained in servers 410 and 412. The invention, however, is not solimited and other appropriate security measures can be selected usingthe systems and methods of the present invention, as one of ordinaryskill in the art will understand the same upon reading this disclosure.

As mentioned above, according to the teachings of this methodembodiment, other functionality of offering the user at the sendingremote client the ability to electronically transmit data representing areturn receipt request is still present in the embodiment of FIG. 4. Butin addition, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the user at the remote clienthaving a client program can electronically transmit data representing arequest to secure the data set, streaming data, and/or document byactivating a data field on the electronic form. The software means canprovide the user at the remote client with a number of reasons, e.g. anadvice notification, listing why the user at the remote client may wantto secure the data set, streaming data, and/or document based. As one ofordinary skill in the art will understand upon reading this disclosure,the program according to the systems and methods of the presentinvention can tailor the advice notification responsive to a type or aclass of the data set, streaming data, and/or document which is to betransmitted. Once the data set, streaming data, and/or document issecured, using the systems and methods of the present invention, theuser may further electronically transmit data representing a request tocreate a copy of the data set, streaming data, and/or document, usingthe software means, for storage on the a server network, e.g. an archiveserver, by activating a data field on the electronic form. According tothe teachings of the present invention, the method can includeexchanging the data set, streaming data, and/or document with thearchive server through an exchange server as part of the server network.

According to the teachings of this method embodiment, the user at thesending remote client can electronically transmit data representing adelivery verification request. In one embodiment, the user at the remoteclient having a client program can electronically transmit datarepresenting a delivery verification request by activating a data fieldon the electronic form. When this step is performed by the user, thesoftware means activates an automatic tracking software application forthe data set, streaming data, and/or document to be transmitted.

According to the teachings of this method embodiment, transmission ofthe document is permission activated such that once the user at theremote submits data representing the electronic data set, streamingdata, and/or document to be transmitted to another remote client, thetransmission is authorized and the software means provides theinsurance, bonding, and/or underwriting coverage and assesses or chargesa fee to the user at the sending remote client, e.g. a sending clientfee, as the same has been described above.

According to the teachings of this method embodiment, the software meansoperating on the system further allows the recipient remote client toelectronically access the document from the system server network, e.g.servers 410 and 412, using a file access key if the recipient remoteclient is unable to open the electronic document initially at theirlocation. An example of a file access key includes a user name andpassword, or unique identifier. Also, in this embodiment, the softwaremeans is operable for copying and exchanging the document through anexchange server, e.g. servers 410 and 412, to the network system serverwhen the electronic document is transmitted or sent.

CONCLUSION

Thus, systems and methods have been provided which provide a technicalapplication for insuring, bonding, and underwriting a transmission of adata set, streaming data, and/or document over the Internet throughTCP/IP and all other electronic media such as WAP (wireless applicationprotocol), VOIP (voice-over IP), fiber optic channels, microwavechannels, and through standard electrical switches, electrical outletsand power lines. The technical application of the present inventionfills a technical need which has not been heretofore met. The presentinvention includes a computer-readable medium having computer-executableinstructions to cause a system perform a method for insuring, bonding,and/or underwriting data transmission. The method includes enabling afirst remote client coupled to a communications network to insure, bond,and/or underwrite a transmission of an electronic data set, streamingdata, and/or document, with a selected coverage type for a selectedcoverage amount, from the first remote client to one or more secondremote clients. The method further includes charging a fee to anappropriate account for the selected coverage type and coverage amount.Thus, the systems and methods of the present invention include atechnical application which provides a solution to the heretoforeunresolved problem of insuring, bonding, and/or underwritingtransmission of data sets, streaming data, and/or documents over theInternet.

1. A computerized method for providing coverage for computerizedtransmission of data, the method comprising: requesting coverage fortransmission, from a sender computer to a server computer, of a set ofdata over a communications network, wherein the coverage specifies apayment amount to be paid if the transmission were to fail, and wherein,based on the coverage, the server computer provides a payment of thepayment amount if the transmission fails; causing, by the servercomputer, computerized payment of a fee to a specified account for thecoverage of the transmission; sending, from the sender computer, astatus indication for logging that the transmission of the set of datais occurring; and transmitting the set of data from the sender computerto a receiver computer.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the requestingincludes eliciting and receiving data and placing the received data inan on-line electronic form.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein theeliciting and receiving of data includes eliciting and receivinginformation for an appropriate account and placing the receivedinformation in a number of data fields located on the on-line electronicform.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting includesselecting an amount of coverage per a coverage type.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the causing computerized payment of the fee includescausing computerized payment of a per-usage fee, and wherein the fee isbased upon a size of the transmission, a monetary value of thetransmission, and a liability amount of the transmission.
 6. The methodof claim 1, wherein the causing computerized payment of the fee includescausing computerized payment of a flat periodic fee.
 7. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the transmission of the set of data is one of a numberof transmissions, and the causing computerized payment of the feeincludes causing computerized payment of a flat periodic fee plus anadditional fee when the number of transmissions exceeds a predeterminednumber.
 8. An apparatus comprising: a requestor configured to requestcoverage for transmission of a set of data over a communicationsnetwork, wherein the coverage would provide a payment amount if thetransmission were to fail; a payment module operatively coupled to therequestor and configured to pay a fee for the coverage; astatus-indication unit operatively coupled to the requestor andconfigured to send a status indication for logging that the transmissionof the set of data is occurring; and a transmission unit operativelycoupled to the requestor and configured to perform the transmission ofthe set of data.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the requestor isconfigured to complete an on-line electronic form.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 9, wherein the requestor is configured to enter information for anappropriate account by filling out a plurality of data fields located onthe on-line electronic form.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein therequestor is configured to select an amount of coverage per a coveragetype.
 12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the payment module isconfigured to pay a per-usage fee, and wherein the fee is based upon asize of the transmission, a monetary value of the transmission, and aliability amount of the transmission.
 13. The apparatus of claim 8,wherein the payment module is configured to pay a flat periodic fee. 14.The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transmission of the set of data isone of a number of transmissions, and the payment module is configuredto pay a flat periodic fee plus an additional fee when the number oftransmissions exceeds a predetermined number.
 15. An apparatus forproviding coverage for computerized transmission of data, the apparatuscomprising: means for requesting coverage for transmission, from asender computer, of a set of data over a communications network, whereinthe coverage would provide a payment amount if the transmission were tofail; means for paying a fee for the coverage; means for sending, fromthe sender computer, a status indication for logging that thetransmission of the set of data is occurring; and means for performingthe transmission of the set of data.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15,wherein the means for requesting includes means for selecting an amountof coverage per a coverage type, and wherein the means for selectingincludes an on-line electronic form.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16,wherein the means for requesting includes means for entering informationfor an appropriate account by filling out a number of data fieldslocated on the on-line electronic form.
 18. The apparatus of claim 15,wherein the means for paying includes means for paying a per-usage fee,and wherein the fee is based upon a size of the transmission, a monetaryvalue of the transmission, and a liability amount of the transmission.19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for paying includesmeans for paying a flat periodic fee.
 20. The apparatus of claim 15,wherein the transmission of the set of data is one of a number oftransmissions, and the means for paying includes means for paying a flatperiodic fee plus an additional fee when the number of transmissionsexceeds a predetermined number.